The organic laws, or, The laws which govern the human organism / by J. Bradford Sax.

  • Sax, J. Bradford.
Date:
1851
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The organic laws, or, The laws which govern the human organism / by J. Bradford Sax. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    animals,—although not subject to disease so long as they follow their natural instincts, and thus obey the laws of their being,—become diseased as soon as they are induced or forced to transgress, and to continue the transgression. This may be seen in all the animals domesticated for man's use, or subject to his influence. They are forced out of their natural manner of living, and disease is the con- sequence. The wild horses of South America live in accordance with the laws of their being, and are free from disease. Those subjected to man's control are forced to violate those laws, and are consequently diseased with all manner of diseases. So with the cattle and sheep, and all our domestic animals. The apes and monkeys, in their native forests, living upon those fruits and seeds which are designed for their food, know nothing of disease; but those which are caught and kept by man, and made to transgress by eating improper food, and in other ways, are frequently sick and die prematurely. So of all wild animals kept in menageries. They soon become diseased and die. What more reasonable than to suppose that it should be the same with man ? that he should be well when he obeyed the laws of his being, but diseased if he transgressed ? And when this is found to be actually the case—as we shall presently show that it is_what more irresistible than the inference that disease is the result of transgression ? But we will postpone the consideration of the ar- gument from experience or observation of the effects of transgres- sion and obedience, until we have by an appeal to the organic laws determined what is transgression and what obedience. In the meantime we will take the proposition which we set out with, that disease is the result of transgression of the organic laws, as proved, since I think no sensible person will think of denying it. After all, perhaps, it was not necessary to argue it so lengthily as we have done, to obtain a general assent to it; for it seems to me that any one must acknowledge it true almost intuitively. It commends it- «elf to the reason of all. It may almost be regarded as an ax.om. Think of this, ye invalids, and take courage! Your afflictions are not unavoidable, as you have supposed, but may be avoided by avoiding the cause. True, inveterate diseases which you have already incurred may be somewhat stubborn, and continue to afflic you for a while;—still by avoiding transgression and practicing